Gilmore Girls Guests: Most Memorable Side Characters and Cameo Appearances
The ultimate list of short-lived but never forgotten favorites!
Every Gilmore Girls fan can talk forever about all the headline characters and loveable townies in the series, from the Gilmores to their love interests to Miss Patty and Babette. But every main dish needs a plethora of sides to keep it interesting. One of the best things about Gilmore Girls is how even a character with one line in the whole series fits right into the rhythm of the show and will be remembered forever. So we compiled the ultimate list of all the folks in the series who aren’t giving Main Character Energy (Lorelai and Rory give quite enough to fill the screen!) but nevertheless charm viewers over and over again on every rewatch. From characters we never heard from again, to well-known actors whose first real role was Gilmore Girls, to incredible cameos–we gathered them all right here.
The criteria for inclusion is simple: No more than 3 appearances (as the same character) which means no recurring townies with established storylines. But if the actor appeared as 2 separate characters, that’s fine. If they aren’t a big name cameo, they must have had a memorable line or scene that has stuck with fans after 25 years. How many of these unsung heroes do you remember?
Big Name Cameos
Over the 7 seasons, Gilmore Girls had many actors pass through on their way to their own big breaks. They may have been unknown when the show first aired, but on the twentieth rewatch, they are more beloved because of their impressive resumes that came after their time in Stars Hollow. There are also several actors and public figures that already had impressive careers before appearing in Gilmore Girls which we included as well. We are grateful to them for filling out the Gilmore world.
Madeleine Albright: Of course.
Christiane Amanpour: Enough said.
Mädchen Amick: Before she was Sherry, she was Shelly Johnson on the tv cult favorite, Twin Peaks.
Hilary Angelo: She was actually a child actor appearing in the Nickelodeon show The Secret World of Alex Mack, before attending Chilton as Lemon–or Lem.
John Aniston: As in Jennifer Aniston’s father, he appeared at Richard & Emily’s Thanksgiving dinner
Paul Anka: We all know.
Brandon Barash: We know him as Jamie for 3 episodes, but he has been a staple in the soap opera world on General Hospital and Days of Our Lives.
Billy Burke: All we want to say is: Justice for Alex. He felt like a good match for Lorelai. A father of two. A coffee lover. He never got a 4th episode or an ending.
Denise Dowse: She was well known as the vice principal of West Beverly High before she showed up as the judge that was assigned to Luke’s custody case in Season 7.
Teddy Dunn: Before he was Duncan Kane on Veronica Mars, he was Graham Sullivan in S4 E21 “Last Week Fights, This Week Tights.” We also like to call him Dean 2.0.
Nicole Eggert: She was well known before she showed up as Aubrey in “Like Mother, Like Daughter” if you watched Charles in Charge (1984) or Baywatch (1989).
Colin Egglesfield: The role of Sean in the Spring Break episode was only Colin’s 5th acting credit; you probably recognize him from the rom com hit Something Borrowed where he brought the character Dex to life.
Rob Estes: Rob was best known for his role in Melrose Place before he came quickly in and out of Stars Hollow as Jess’ dad, Jimmy Mariano.
Ben Falcone: Also known as Melissa McCarthy’s husband, he played Mr. Brink in S3 E20 “Say Goodnight Gracie,” who helps carry Fran’s casket and secures The Dragonfly for Lorelai & Sookie.
Sarah Foret: She played the Chilton student that visits Rory for the weekend, Anna Fairchild, before she went on to star in her own show about a single mother & her 2 daughters on the WB, Beautiful People.
Max Greenfield: We would come to love him as Schmidt in New Girl, but first, he was Lucas in S4 E4 “Chicken or Beef.” He and Luke should have started a club or something. That would have been swell.
Jon Hamm: Before Don Draper, there was paddle number 17, also known as Peyton Sanders in S3 E5 “Eight o’clock at the Oasis.” He likes merlot a little too much, and also loves to give facts about his Jaguar. Not even Lorelai could stand to spend more time with him and gave up the Bowie tickets.
Melora Hardin: Everyone knows her as Jan from The Office, but she also was offering up therapy sessions in her car to Lorelai at the end of Season 6.
Kathryn Joosten: Kathryn had a storied career as Mrs. Landingham in The West Wing before taking on the role of Maisy, Buddy’s better half at Sniffy’s Tavern. We like to think of them as Luke’s quasi-parents.
Carole King: Honestly, we can’t believe that we have to put Carole King on this list, but Sophie–the owner of the music store–really only did appear in 3 episodes of the OG series.
Jane Lynch: Jane hadn’t become a household name yet when she portrayed the nurse in Season 1 that would not give Emily Gilmore any information (because apparently the hospital is run like the CIA.) She would go on to become your favorite gym teacher on Glee and as a famous comic on another Amy Sherman-Palladino show, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Seth MacFarlane: He is well known for being the creator of Family Guy, but in the Gilmore Girls world, he played that rude business school student Zach at Lorelai’s graduation. But did you know that he voiced two roles in Season 3 and 4? He is the voice of Bob Merriam in “I Solemnly Swear,” and the folk singer at the end of “Die, Jerk,” which was uncredited.
Norman & Stephen Mailer: Duh.
Rami Malek: He played Andy, and also a big fan of Assistant Pastor Eric, in S4 E11 “In the Clamor and the Clangor” before he graced us on the big screen as the one and only Freddie Mercury among other memorable roles.
Kelly Mantle: Kelly played Uma Thurman in S2 E3 “Red Light on the Wedding Night.” They had an appearance on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and recently made Oscars history by being the first openly non-binary person ever to be approved & considered for Supporting Actor & Actress. Fun Fact: Their uncle is baseball legend, Mickey Mantle.
Leslie Odom Jr.: He isn’t the first guest star to go to Broadway. More known for the role of Aaron Burr in Hamilton, it’s fun to see him portray the Young Voice of Journalism, Quentin Walsh–or Pompous Princeton Guy–in S6 E16 “Bridesmaids Revisited.”
Nick Offerman: He stopped by to play one of the most memorable relatives of any townie, Beau Belleville, before going on to Parks & Rec.
Masi Oka: Once a philosophy student at Harvard in Season 2, but known for Heroes where he acted alongside Milo Ventimiglia.
Nasim Pedrad: This was only her 3rd credit, playing a waitress in S6 E16 “Bridesmaids Revisited.” Pedrad went on to star on Saturday Night Live, as well as New Girl and Scream Queens.
Max Perlich: Some knew him for his role as Whistler in Buffy the Vampire Slayer before he showed up as Jackson’s annoying cousin, Rune. His resume is quite impressive, spanning all the way back to 1986 when he appeared in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.
Mary Lynn Rajskub: She played opposite Kirk in A Film By Kirk, and also played the town troubadour’s sister. Was it the same character? We’d like to think so; she has to live in Stars Hollow. We wish we got more of her before she went on to play Chloe O’Brian in 24.
Marion Ross: The matriarch of the Gilmore clan, Lorelai the First, graced our screens for only 3 episodes… but because Marion Ross is a legend, she came back for 3 more episodes as cousin Marilyn.
Brandon Routh: You might know him from Superman Returns, but he played a character named Jess (before THE Jess we all know) that hit on Madeline & Louise at The Bangles’ concert in Season 1.
Adam Shapiro: You may not recognize him, but he played Sugarman, a member of Marty’s Breakfast Crew in S4 E5 “The Fundamental Things Apply.” He would later grace our television screens on The Bear and Never Have I Ever.
Abigail Spencer: She played Megan, a bridesmaid, in “Bridesmaid Revisited” but later she would star in Timeless, and appear in series like Suits, Grey’s Anatomy, and Mad Men.
Granville Van Dusen: He is a legendary soap actor from The Young & The Restless and Port Charles, but Gilmore fans will always see him as Darren Springsteen–unfortunately, not related to Bruce (we don’t think.)
Phillip Van Dyke: Millennials will know him from Halloweentown, but did you know that he was cast to play Young Christopher in “Dear Emily and Richard”?
Stars Hollow Blink-and-You’ll-Miss Townies
While everyone loves Babette, Miss Patty, and even Lulu, there were townies that got limited time onscreen but served an important role filling out the Gilmore Girls universe.
Big Pete: He is the pizza maker in Stars Hollow, so obviously a favorite person of Lorelai & Rory’s. But, he also plays the father in Kirk’s film.
Rich Bloomenfeld: He has some nice hair that Lane can’t help to touch, but you might not know that the actor, Chase Penny, came back in Season 3 to play Rick, one of the guys at the party in “Keg! Max!”
Bruce: We aren’t sure if Sookie’s midwife lives in Stars Hollow but since both appearances were at Sookie’s house, we’ll give her the honorary townie title. She wasn’t given a first name, but when actress Rusty Schwimmer joined for a watch of her episode, she enlightened us with what her first name would be.
Debbie Fincher: We will never forget that wig, Deb. Oh, Deb, not that wig.
Dwight: He might be the most annoying townie, but he has every board game known to man. Game night at the Oasis, anyone? As long as Dwight’s out of town, go get the key from Lorelai.
Ed: Ed bugs Luke, but who doesn’t? Ed definitely won’t be taking anything free from Luke again. Ed isn’t afraid to cry either.
Fran Weston: It’s crazy to think we only got 3 episodes with Fran, while Weston’s Bakery was a staple for Lorelai & Rory. Fun Fact: Actress Linda Porter is the real life mom of the actor, Max Perlich (Rune). She was working on Superstore until she passed away in 2019.
Jed: This townie has the open-faced turkey sandwich that Sookie doctors up in “Cinnamon’s Wake.” The actor would come back in Season 5 to play Henry, the keeper of all the Renaissance Faire goss.
Joel: The short-lived tambourine player of Hep Alien that Zach brings into the band without discussing it first. Tsk tsk. They are supposed to be a democracy.
John Halloway: Mia sends her son to evaluate the Independence Inn after the fire, and has to break the news to Lorelai that Mia was leaning towards selling.
The Krumholtzes: They are just visitors in Stars Hollow, but the kids had some memorable scenes with Michel. They just want to play some insipid board games with him!
Manny: He is the sous chef at The Dragonfly and impresses Luke when he fills in for Sookie.
Mayor Harry Porter: Yes, there was a mayor. No, it wasn’t Taylor Doose. After his two episodes, Stars Hollow decides to change their governmental structure, we’re assuming. He and Luke really go head to head in the town meeting, so it is interesting that the storyline simply got moved to Taylor Doose. As for Mayor Harry Porter, he is still looking for some matches to light the bonfire.
Marty: No, not Marty at Yale… This one is the bag boy at Doose’s Market that is “out for Dean’s job” when he is away visiting his grandparents. We like to call him the original Marty.
Mia Halloway: She may be well known for being played by two different actresses, but she is one of the more well known townies in the Gilmore lore that played a big role in Lorelai’s life. Even if she doesn’t live in Stars Hollow anymore, she is a townie for life to us.
Mrs. Thompson: She loaned out her garage for Luke’s father’s boat and apparently had a lot of other junk that she sold to Lorelai, including 3 Thighmasters.
Mrs. Lanahan: She is the first townie to cross at the crosswalk, helped by Kirk. She also still drove herself over to Woodbury for a head of lettuce when Doose’s Market couldn’t open due to Jess’ body outline prank. Played by Norma Michaels, she had a long career that lasted six decades before she passed away in 2020.
Robert Lee: Robert Lee is the most well known background player in the Gilmore Girls universe. You might be thinking, “but he was in more than 3 episodes.” If you go by IMDb, he was first credited as a waiter in S5 E9 “Emily Says Hello,” and has his one line in the series finale “Bon Voyage.” In fact, he viewed himself more as part of the crew than the cast. It is a fun rewatch game to see how many times you can spot Robert Lee in the series. Hint: he’s not always at Luke’s Diner.
Shel: We meet the meat supplier for The Dragonfly in S4 E20 “Luke Can See Her Face.” Sookie should really stop trying to play matchmaker for Lorelai.
Mrs. Slutsky: She lives next door to Luke, above what becomes Taylor’s Soda Shoppe. Don’t yell outside her window in the middle of the night, though.
The Sous Chef at the Independence Inn (from the Pilot Episode): He feels very important because he put out the fire that Sookie started. If it wasn’t for him, there would have been many more fires at the Independence Inn. He definitely deserves a raise!
Tobin: Another character that feels like he was around more, but in fact, we only got 2 episodes with Tobin. It’s probably for the better because Michel isn’t a fan. Are you Team Tobin or Team Michel?
The Town Loner: He never does get to protest what he wanted to, but he does get to try out to be a troubadour at the end of Season 6. Dan Palladino is famously known for playing this role.
Young Chui: A result of Mrs. Kim and her matchmaking because Dave Rygalski is simply not Korean.
Family Guest Stars
Every once in a while we get some visitors that are related to a beloved character–we only wish that we had met Kirk’s mom at some point in the series.
Brian Fuller’s aunt: While we never see her, her basement is THE place to go when everything else in town closes.
Brian Fuller’s mom: She brings the carrot sticks to the gig–but also Cousin Turner.
Cousin Turner: Is he still wearing the Zorro costume? Also, did he dare Brian to eat the cheesecake off the floor? We have questions that unfortunately can only be answered with fanfic.
Doug Doose: Taylor’s brother may have moved away from Stars Hollow at some point, but he doesn’t need a map or schedule of events to entertain himself before the big hockey game.
Mrs. Geller: Paris’ mom makes one brief appearance for Parents’ Day at Chilton in Season 1. We understand Paris’ close relationship with Nanny after seeing that one scene.
Giselle Gerard: Michel’s mother comes to visit, and as long as no one tells her anything of substance about Michel’s life, they have a wonderful relationship. Remember to pretend that Michel loves pasta.
Jacob: Paris’ cousin–and date–in “Rory’s Dance.”
Lane’s aunt, Jun & cousin, Christine: Lane’s Aunt Jun stays out of any drama that happens between Lane and Mrs. Kim. She delivers the message, and kindly declines any offer to go into the apartment. Christine, on the other hand, idolizes Lane–if only she knew her Led Zeppelin albums correctly. Know it, don’t blow it!
Lane’s grandmother: We learn that Mrs. Kim hides her Seventh Day Adventist beliefs from her Buddhist mother. Because of this, we get 2 weddings for Lane & Zach, and boy, is it an eventful day! “58 seats, 62 Koreans!”
Lane’s uncle, Joe: Zach dubs him as the “Asian George Clooney.”
Nanny: She is very much family to Paris. She proudly attends the Chilton graduation, and drives to Yale to help take care of Doyle for Paris.
“Nature Must Wait” kid: It is possibly the most iconic line from a character that doesn’t get a name.
Straub & Francine Hayden: Rory’s other grandparents, but what do we call them? Mr. & Mrs. Hayden? Sir and Ma’am? Francine was played by Cristine Rose, who also starred alongside Milo in Heroes, while Straub was played by Peter Michael Goetz who has a slew of credits to his name such as Father of the Bride Part II, My Girl, and Jumpin’ Jack Flash.
TJ’s brother: Played by Michael DeLuise’s real life brother, David, he can hook you up with whatever you need in the patio furniture department.
Yale & Beyond
These characters appeared outside of Stars Hollow, whether it was Yale or Hartford or elsewhere. They may not have resided in the town, but they were quirky enough to remember.
The Bracebridge Group: We never see them, but they serve a very important role: getting snowed-in in Chicago, so one of the fan favorite episodes could take place.
Buddy: The other half of the husband-and-wife co-owners of Sniffy’s Tavern, he tries to serve Luke & Lorelai something with garlic on their first date. C’mon, Buddy, give the man a chance!
Harry: He was the one that had to deal with the interns at the Eagle-Gazette. If you finish the pot of coffee, just remember to make a new one.
Hugo Gray: He may have been the one to help Rory get the job on the Barack Obama campaign at the end of the OG Series, but did you know that the actor, Lance Barber, can also be seen in S2 E7 “Like Mother, Like Daughter”?
Joe Mastoni: Luke isn’t the only one who pined for a girl for years… sadly for Joe, after 10 years, there isn’t a happy ending but he takes it extremely well. Joe Fria was another actor that played multiple roles on Gilmore Girls, having been the waiter in Season 1 “Double Date.” He told us all about his experiences back in 2022.
LaDawn: She bought the Cheshire Cat from Donald. Do we think she ever cracked the code: “sat am forever at work here” ? By the way, the Cheshire Cat makes a second appearance in the script when the Independence Inn catches fire.
Libby: The actress, Samantha Shelton, can be seen as Libby, the drunk debutante, in Season 2, and also as Walker, the drunk bridesmaid in Season 6. We sense a theme.
Lily: We’ll just call her Jess’ quasi-sister… She would have been in the spinoff, Windward Circle, and she definitely had a Rory vibe, reading inside that wardrobe. Alix Kermes was only 9 years old at the time, and reflected on bonding with Milo on set when she joined us for a watch of the episode.
Paul, Lorelai’s Casual Date: He had a fun bit about Lorelai always getting the last burrito, but it didn’t translate to anything further. The name Paul ends up not having a great track record on Gilmore Girls.
Pennilyn Lott: Richard’s college sweetheart, or as Lorelai says, her “almost-mommy.” While we only got to meet Pennilyn at the Yale-Harvard tailgate, we would get the more iconic scene of Emily Gilmore in “The Reigning Lorelai.”
Seth: He tested the umbrella parachute drop with potatoes in “I Jump, You Jump, Jack”...we are going to need confirmation that they are all okay.
Shira Huntzberger: Emily vs. Shira: possibly one of the best scenes in Gilmore lore. If you don’t love Season 6 for the Lorelai/Rory drama, at least watch that scene.
The Springsteens: We already touched on Darren Springsteen, but rounding out the family are Marie, Jack, Jennifer, and “other daughter” Carol. They do love their trivia. They’ll bounce in, and right back out again.
Stephanie: Rory calls her “Gorilla Girl” since she saw her in the bathroom with the gorilla mask. Stephanie is tasked with the impossible: keeping up with Finn & Colin in the Life & Death Brigade.
Terrence: We love the choice of casting Mitch Silpa as Paris’ life coach. He talked to us about his audition for the role, and how they wanted him to play it subtle. Two steps forward, 3 steps back.
Trevor: Trevor from Chicago wants to sit on the same side of the table as Rory on their date… Do you think Trevor should have gotten another chance or did Rory ruin it with talk of the urine mints? Team Trevor, anyone?
Natalie Zimmermann: the interior designer who Lorelai hires for the Dragonfly–until she finds out that she knows Emily. Did Natalie end up keeping the job? We don’t really know because she was only in the 1 episode.
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Leslie Odom is my favorite one!!